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The Yearly SOTB

Yes, it’s that time of year again…time for the annual “smushing of the boobies,” as I call it. The SOTB has never been something I dreaded. Having large breasts, there’s always been enough for the technician to smush. Now yes, I have to admit, it is a bit freaky seeing a part of your body laid out on plate, so to speak, and smushed flat as it can be…that part of the body just should not look like that normally…ever!

My first mammogram occured at age 32 when I had a car wreck. The seat belt locked down with such force that after a few days I had horrible bruises on my left breast. After they cleared, I noticed several small, pea-sized lumps in that breast. As a precaution, my doctor had me have a mammogram. As he suspected, these were calcium deposits left from the bruises and cleared up in time with me taking vitamin E capsules.

The next mammogram was the requisit baseline test at age 35. And since the age of 40, I have faithly gone each year for the SOTB. I go to the same facility each year and it is, for a mammogram, an extremely pleasant experience. It’s basically two women, one up front and the technician. They have lovely, roomy gowns that they keep heated and it’s very efficient and quick.

This year, at the SOTB, we went digital! Yeah! Not only is it less radiation for me, but it takes less time and the technician can review the films right there, and I don’t have to wait and go back if it didn’t take correctly or get the portion they needed. With paperwork (including having to step across the lobby to my gyn’s office to get the order), I was out in 40 minutes.

Since I’m walking the 3-Day this year I almost had my husband take a picture of me at the door to the mammogram office, but decided that would be just too corny. Suffice it to say that I’m happy it’s over for another year and the SOTB went very well! Don’t forget to have your yearly SOTB if you haven’t done it recently…it takes very little time and is well worth any discomfort you may feel. It’s a good thing!